The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-28
FIVE ELDERS STEP OUT.
DIR. BACoNs RETIREMENT PUTS
HIS CHURCH IN A FIX.

Return TO the Presbytery-Dr. Ba-
cons Farewell to His Congregation
To Start for the North Tomorrow.
The Independent Presbyterian Church
was well filed yesterday morning. The
members were out in force, and there were
many present who had no connection with
the church. Prominent people in other con-
gregations were numerous, and there were
some stray sheep who have not been to
church for a long time before. Some were
prompted by curiosity. Knowing that it
would be DR.. Bacon's last Sunday, they
thought he would probably preach fare
well sermon, in which ne would take up his
disagreement with his congregation and,
perhaps, make it uncomfortable for those
who disagreed with him. Others had heard
so much of the doctor that they desired to
| hear him preach, and this last opportunity
was taken advantage Of.
DR.. Bacon disappointed those who looked
for q sensational sermon. He took his text
from st. Pauls Epistle to the Galatians
", IL.
And 1, brethren, If l yet preach circumcis-
ion, why do yet suffer persecution? then is the
| oftense of the cross ceased.
DR.. Bacon preached for an hour upon the
offense Of the cross, and throughout the en-
| tire discourse his congregation was very
attentive, and much interested.
DIR. BACON CALLS A MEETING.
The lovers of O sensation looked for Il
! scene from another cause IL had leaked
| out that some of the elders had rendered
| their designations at a meeting of the seS-
sion, which was held on Wednesday, and
that the session refused to consider them
| because they were not rendered in accord
| ance with the law of the church. 1t was
whispered that DIR. Bacon would insist upon
reading these designations from the pulpit,
and that protest would be entered against
his doing SO in as much as the session had
| refused to consider them.
| All the expectations vanished, however,
when DR.. Bacon, after reading the regular
notices and announcement of the annual
| renting of the pews, said: 1.-The communi-
| cant members are requested to meet in the
Sunday school room Immediately after SER
vice to hear and act upon the designations of
| certain members of the session, and TO take
| such further action as may be necessary in
the absence of the pastorn The congrega-
ton quietly dispersed, all except some of the
| communicate members who went over to
| attend the meeting
A WILLING SACRIFICE.
When there were but few people left
about the church, DIR. Bacon came out He
stopped in front of the door, and speaking
| to one of the members said: 81 feel thor
oughly happy to-day This is the best days
work of the twelve months l bave been
here. Getting all the elders to resign when
they found that the other two would stand
firm insures harmonious meeting. They
will probably accept the designations and
appoint committee to manage
the affairs of the church until the pastor
comes, and all the troubles will pass away.
| see a grand and glorious future in store
tor the church, and | am happy to be a sac
rifice to such an endn With that the Doc
tor walked off smiling as pleasantly as if
the congregation had protested its undying
love for him instead of its desire that he
should seek new fields in which to labor
| He gave the clew to what was afterward
learned to be fact, that DR. Bacon's friends
in the eldership, Col. Olmstead and Mr.
| Wakelee, had resigned, and that the others
had determined or been induced to do like
| wise.
| COL. OLMSTEAD RESIGNS.
The communicate members went into the
Sunday school room, and as soon as the
doors had been carefully closed the meeting
was called to order, and w. w. Mackall,
| Esq, was elected Chairman. Mr.. Horace
A. Crane was nominated as Secretary, but
he declined to serve, and Mr.. C.. NJ. Gilbert
was chosen AS soon as the elections were
over DIR. Houstom arose and read the resig-
nation of Col Olmstead as an elder of the
church, which was addressed to the pastor.
In his resignation LCol. Olmstead expressed
the belief that it would be better for him to
| resign as an elder, as he would not then
stand in the way of healing the breach
which had occurred in the church.
Mr. John |. Stoddard moved that the res
ignation be accepted, and that motion was
| seconded.
| Mr.. n D Tbo,,,ac aY,opdad INV ,,,o,,;n,,
that the resignation he not accepted, and
that Col Olmstead continue to act as elder
| until another meeting could be called as the
congregation had not received due notice of
the present meeting, and the church was
not fairly represented. He also wanted the
pastor TO be present at the meeting, particu-
larry as the resignation was addressed to
him. The amendment was put but the
chair could not determine whether the yeas
or noes had it. Division was called for and
the motion was lost. Mr.. Stoddard's mo-
ton was then put and carried, and the res
ignation accepted.
FOUR MORE RESERVATIONS.
DR.. Houstoun then read Mr.. w. L. Wake
lees resignation, which was similar to that
of Col. Olmstead.
Mr. Stoddard moved its acceptance.
| Mr., Thomas made similar amendment
| to the one he had made in the previous case
a so was accepted.
Mr.. Randolph Arson then read letter of
resignation, which was signed by three of
the remaining elders-himself. Mr.. w. H.
Baker, and Mr.. Thomas II. Harden. The
letter deplored the division in the church
and the fractional differences which had
arisen, when the administration of the
affairs of the church should be conducted
with Christian-like harmony, and when the
members, instead of pickering, should exer-
else forbearance one with the other The
elders who signed that letter, however, had
done so because since Col Olmstead and
| Mr.. Wakelee had resigned, they saw moth
ing to do but to resign also.
A question then arose as to whether the
designations of Messrs. Arson, Baker and
Harden should be acted upon separately or
as a whole, and it was decided to vote upon
them collectively, this decision being
reached by taking standing vote.
Mr. Stoddard then moved their accept
ance and Mr. Thomas repeated his amend
ment The result was as before, and the
designations were accepted.
A motion was made to adjourn but it was
lost.
TO SECURE A NEW PASTOR.
DIR. Houstoun then moved that COM
mittee of five he appointed by the chair to
confer with the Trustees about securing a
new pastor. This was carried and Chair
| ,oa,, Moolya1 aOnpuuaad that ba xya,ld